Chelsea turned on the style to completely destroy in-form Aston Villa and move back up to third place in the Premier League.

Fernando Torres continued his resurgence under Blues manager Rafael Benitez with a towering third-minute header to set the Blues on their way.

And a stunning David Luiz free-kick and Branislav Ivanovic header as good as wrapped up victory before the interval.

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Benitez compliments beaten Lambert

Frank Lampard marked his 500th Premier League start by crashing home a fourth on the hour and two strikes from substitute Ramires, an Oscar penalty and a fine individual effort from Eden Hazard rounded off the scoring.

As well as providing more evidence of Chelsea's growing momentum under Benitez, the thrashing revised the Premier League record books.

An unchanged Villa actually went into the game buoyed by their fine recent form and stunning win over Liverpool last Saturday.

Villa feel the pain

The defeat was Aston Villa's heaviest in top-flight football. They have lost 7-0 on five previous occasions - most recently in 1964.

But they fell behind within two minutes and by the time Ivanovic struck 11 minutes before the break, the visitors appeared to be completely deflated and they were ripped apart at will in the second half.

A majestic performance from Lampard, and his midfield partner Luiz, laid the platform for a dominant display that could have easily seen them reach double figures.

By the end Villa looked a shadow of the side who have been playing with such spirit, energy and passion and who headed to Stamford Bridge unbeaten in six and with a Capital One Cup semi-final date against Bradford looming.

In contrast Benitez's Blues played with the sort of fluency and class that even the manager's staunchest critic will find hard to resist as they bettered Liverpool's 6-0 win over Derby in September 2007 to deliver the Spaniard's best league win in English football.

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We got beaten up - Paul Lambert

The hosts started where they left off against Leeds in midweek, Torres opening the scoring with his seventh goal in six games when he found the top corner with a superb 15-yard header from a teasing Ivanovic cross.

Villa held their own for 20 minutes but Luiz crashed home a wondrous, dipping 25-yard free-kick to double the lead.

And after Ivanovic reacted brilliantly to head in after a fine turn and shot from fellow centre-back Gary Cahill, Villa simply capitulated.

England midfielder Lampard, so influential in Chelsea's midweek Capital One cup battering of Leeds, gave a typically authoritative display which makes a mockery of any suggestion that he would not be offered a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

Premier League's biggest wins

4 March 1995 - Manchester United 9 Ipswich 0.

19 September 1999 - Newcastle 8 Sheffield Wednesday 0.

22 November 2009 - Tottenham 9 Wigan 1

9 May 2010 - Chelsea 8 Wigan 0

He smashed in the fourth from 25 yards on the hour and the floodgates truly opened as Chelsea scored four goals in the final 15 minutes.

Substitute Ramires slotted number five after a fine pass from fellow substitute Lucas Piazon.

Another sub, Oscar, blasted number six into the roof of the net after he was felled by Chris Herd.

Number seven duly arrived when Hazard danced through, exchanged passes with Piazon, and arrowed a shot into the corner of the net.

Piazon saw a late penalty brilliantly saved after being fouled by Ciaran Clark, but the eighth goal did arrive when Ramires side-footed in after a break from Oscar.